Electric furnace



l, 2, March 29, 1927. J. c. WOODSON 62 622 ELECTRIC FURNACE Filed June 23, 1925 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR Jamai lA/Oaason ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. WOODSON, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, .IASSIGNOR T0 WEST- INGHOUE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY. A CORPORATION 0F PENN- SYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FURNACE.

Application led .Tune -23, 1925. Serial No. 38,981.

My invention relates to electric furnaces and particularly to resistor-supporting means therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, efhcient and easily removable hangcr block for supporting a resistor member. f

In practicing my invention, I provide an elongated member of overhung channel section, located in a wall of the furnace, and a plurality of hanger blocks, having a laterally-extending end portion fitting into the groove in said member and having a forwardly extending portion for receiving and supporting a depending resistor member..

A modified form of hanger block has a relatively narrow lateral end portion fitting into the overhung groove and insertible therein and removable therefrom in a position angulaily disposed from the normal operative position.

In the Single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in vertical longitudinal section, of a furnace embodying my invention,

Fi 2 is a view, in front elevation, of a mein er of overhung channel section cori? prising part of the device embodying my invention, Y

Fig. 3 is an end View thereof,

ig. 4 is a view, in side elevation, of a hanger block embodying my invention,

Fig.,5 is a view, in rear elevation, of the hanger blockof Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof, u

Fig. is a rear end view of a modified form of hanger block, A

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a spacer block, and

Fig. l9 is a view in front elevation of the spacer block.

An electric resistance furnace 11 comprises a. plurality of walls 12 that are built up `of suitable bricks or blocks of a heat-insulating and high-temperature resisting refractory material usually employed in the furnace art. The bricks or block constituting the respective walls are so disposed that they enclose .a furnace chamber 13 of any suitable or desired contour and dimensions. As the particular construction and arrangement of the. furnace structure proper constitutes no part of my invention, it is illustrated generally only.

vided therein, shall be large enough to peri mit o f locating therein a hanger block for a resistor member, to be hereinafter described in detail, that shall be of suicient Strength to support tlie same.

The front overhanging wall portions 17 and 18 should also be of suiiicient thickness to provide the necessary strength to support a resistor-supporting member. Each ofthe members 15 has the overhanging portion 17 and 18 cut away at one end thereof as indicated b. the numeral 19rat the ri ht hand end of the member 15 illustrated ingFig. 2 of the drawings,for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth in detail. v

A plurality of refractory hanger blocks or resistor-supporting members 21 severall comprise an intermediate ,portion 22'that 1s preferably of substantially circular shape and that has attached thereto at the rear end thereof, a laterally expanded portion 23 having upper and lower arcuate surfaces designate y the numerals 24 and 25 respectively. The diametral dimension between these two surfaces is substantially the same.4

as the height or width of the main portion of the groove 16 as it is intended that the portion 23 shall be located within the groove 16.

The sides of the portion 23 are parallel, as is shown more particularly in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the distance therebetween laterall of the intermediate portion 22 being suoli that the hanger blocks are spaced apart a predetermined distance, which distance determines the spacing between the individual portions of a resistor member that is to be supported thereby. An expanded front ortion 26, integral with the portions 22 an 23 is provided, and may have the edges thereof of rounded or of wedge shape. The surfaces 24 and 25 may, however, be made A ing.

' the As it is desirable that the adjacent lower end portions of the resistor member be prevented from operatively engaging each other during the operation of the furnace, I provide lugs or projecting members 28 that may be suitably inserted in and secured to the wall of the furnace. These projections are of a refractory electro-insulating material.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified form of hanger block 29 which differs from that illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, more particularly in that the rear and laterally extending portion 31, that is to be located in oove 16, is made narrower,

inserted in, and removed from, the groove 16 between the overhung portions 17 and 18. It all other respects, it is of substantially the same construction as was hereinbefore described in connection with the member 21.

Spacer members 32 are provided to cooperate with, and be located between adjacent membersg29 and each comprises a relatively narrow portion 33 that is adapted to be located in the rear or main portion of the slot 16 and a forwardly extending portion 34, the thickness of the two portions'being the same and beingsuch as to provide the plro er spacing between adjacent hanger .In iising'the hanger blocks 21, they are inserted in the groove 16 by `rst placing the rear ortion 23 in the end portion 19 thereof and t en moving them longitudinally of the member 15 and aterally of their own length one after the other until the roper num r oi hanger blocks has been ocated therein and until they extend closely adjacent to the end portion 19. 'Any suitable means, such as a mass of initially plastic refractory material, may be employed to fill up the space 19 in order to prevent any movement of the hanger blocks into4 the space 19 and thus permit of their falling out of engagement with the member 15. It is of course also possible to employ a molded block fitting into the portion 19 instead of an initially p astio mass of material.

When the hanger block 29 is employed, it ispossible to insert all but one or two of the last hanger blocks into the member 15 by turningthem .90 from -their normal o erative position on the axis of the hanger lock the widthe laterally thereof being such that it may be the member an when the portion 31 will be alined with the forward part of the groove 16 and can be moved inwardly and then turned through an angle of 90 to interlock with the' overhanging portion 17 and 18. The same method may be employed with the spacing members 32, the portion 34 serving as a hand-hold to move the members into proper operative position in substantially the same manner as described above for the members 29. It is obvious that this method cannot be employed for all ot' the hanger blocks except in the case where the members 15 extend a short distance beyond the point where it is desired to locate the last or the end hanger blocks. In this' latter case, it is possible to insert all of the hanger blocks by the hereinbefore described relative turning movement.

The use of the hanger blocks illustrated in Fig. 7 permits of easily and quickly re.- moving a damaged hanger block without the necessity of removing all o the hanger blocks located between the damaged one and the end portion 19 of the member 15, as is necessary in the construction illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive.

While I have illustrated and described a` -relractory member 15, vmade of electric-insulating material, this is not necessary, as it may be made of a suitable oxidation resist- `ant material, in which case it is necessary to provide means located between the member 15 and the resistor member 27 of electric-insulating material to prevent electric engagement therebetween.

.Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and Idesire that all such modifications shall be included in the apended claimswhich are to be limited only y the prior art.

I claim as my invention: 1. In an electric furnace, .in combinatie `a. member of overhun channel section, an an elongatedhanger lock interitting with said member and extendin away from the face thereof, and constituting the sole support for a resistor member.

2. In an electric furnace, in combination a member of .overhang channel section, an an elongated hanger block having an end ortion intertting with said member and avingk a portion extending forwardl therefrom, constituting thesole support or a resistor member.

3. In an electric furnace, incombination a member of overhung channel section, and a plurality of elon ated hanger blocks, each having an enlarge end portion fitting into. serving tok space the said redetermined distance apart, and having a oa forwardly extending portion constltuting the sole support for a resistor member.

hanger blocks a neaaeaa E 4. ln an electric furnace, in combination turned a predetermined amount from the a member of overhung channel section, and normal position. a plurality of elongated hanger blocks, each 6. In an electric furnace, in combination, having an enlarged end portion fitting into a member of overhung channel section lo- 5 the member and serving to space theysaid cated in a wall of the furnace, and a hanger `hanger blocks a predetermined distance block having an enlarged end portion fitapart, and having also a forwardly extendting into the groove in said member and ing portion constituting the sole support for having a portion extending forwardly therea resistor member depending therefromo from and constituting the sole support of 10 5; lin an electric furnace, in combination, a resistor member depending therefrom a member of overhung channel section, and parallel to the wall of the furnace. a hanger block having a relatively narrow In testimony whereof, have hereunto and elongated lateral end extension fitting subscribed my name this 11th day of June, into said .member and being insertible in, 1925., l5 and removable from, said member, when JS C. WOODSON. 

